1. Field
An indoor device of an air conditioner is disclosed herein.
2. Background
Generally, an air conditioner is a cooling and heating system that heats and cools a room by repeatedly suctioning in indoor air, exchanging heat with a low temperature or high temperature refrigerant, and then discharging the heat-exchanged air into the room, and also an apparatus that forms a series of cycles including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator. In particular, the air conditioner is divided into an outdoor unit or device, which may be referred to as an ‘outdoor side’ or ‘heat radiating side’, which is mainly installed at an outside of a building, and an indoor unit or device, which may be referred to as an ‘indoor side’ or ‘heat absorbing side’, which is mainly installed at an inside of a building. The condenser (an outdoor heat exchanger) and the compressor are installed at the outdoor device, and the evaporator (an indoor heat exchanger) is installed at the indoor device.
The air conditioner may be classified into a separate type air conditioner in which the outdoor device and the indoor device are separately installed, and an integral type air conditioner, in which the outdoor device and the indoor device are integrally installed. The separate type air conditioner is preferred in consideration of an installation space and noise, for example.
In a multi-type air conditioner among the separate type air conditioners, a plurality of indoor units or devices is connected to one outdoor unit or device, and the devices is are installed at rooms to be air-conditioned, respectively, and thus, an effect as if several air conditioners are installed may be obtained. As an indoor device of such a multi-type air conditioner, an indoor device of a cassette type air conditioner, which is installed at a ceiling of an indoor space and heats and cools the indoor space is widely used.
A representative configuration of the cassette type air conditioner is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0074374, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0074374, there is disclosed a drain pan which is coupled to a case provided inside of a cabinet installed at the ceiling and has a panel outlet port. The panel outlet port is formed by opening an outside of the drain pan, and an upper end of the case is in contact with an external lower end of the drain pan when the drain pan is installed.
Therefore, when air is discharged through the panel outlet port, a portion at which the external lower end of the drain pan is in contact with the upper end of the case is exposed to a route along which the air flows. When the air flows toward a joining portion, vibration and shaking may be generated, and thus, noise may also be generated. Also, an outer surface of the drain pan is formed to be thin due to formation of the panel outlet port, and thus, may be damaged during an assembling process or due to vibration, for example, when the air flows.
There is also disclosed a structure in which the drain pan for shielding an entire inside of the cabinet except an inlet port and an outlet port is provided, and a control box is provided at one side of the drain pan. A wire connection between the control box and elements, such as a fan and a fan motor, is required to drive the elements. When an arrangement of a wire is not appropriate, it is difficult to perform an installing and assembling operation, and vibration noise, for example, may be generated.
In FIGS. 1 and 2 of Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-079108, which is hereby incorporated by reference, there is disclosed a structure in which a condensate pump that pumps and discharges condensate to an outside is provided inside of a main body installed at a ceiling, and a mount portion protrudes inward from an inside of the main body and then extends so as to have a predetermined height, such that an entrance end of the condensate pump is in contact with a drain. However, in such a structure, the mount portion has a structure which protrudes to an inner space of the main body by a cross-sectional area corresponding to an area of a lower surface of the condensate pump to support the condensate pump. Therefore, when the air flows by the fan, the air that flows along a wall surface inside of the main body collides with the mount portion, and thus, a reduction in a flow rate and generation of noise occur due to an increase in a passage resistance.